Mark Johnston is a designer/maker, photographer and educator who has worked in the Industrial Design department since 1991, managing and maintaining the woodshop and providing critical guidance to students and faculty. From project inception to ideation to fabrication, he helps students reach their full potential and produce projects that represent their individuality and meet the goals of the assignment. He has taught such courses at RISD as beginning and advanced woodworking and photography.
The introspective approach Johnston takes to the various aspects of his career are similar in nature. He uses material exploration – combining wood, bronze, glass and other materials – and process manipulation to create functional and nonfunctional pieces. In his photography, he uses techniques and lighting to capture the essence of the object. Recent projects include design and development for TTBikeFit, product displays for Road Runner, Inc. and work for exhibitions, including RISD Faculty Biennials.
As an established product photographer, Johnston has had photographs published in American Craft, Art and Design, Glass Magazine and The Penland Book of Woodworking.
Courses
Fall 2024 Courses
ID 2511-01 - WKSHP: PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
Period Fall 2024
Credits 1
FormatWorkshop
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
ID 2511-01
WKSHP: PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
PeriodFall 2024
Credits1
FormatWorkshop
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2024-09-06 to 2024-09-27
Times: F | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PMInstructor(s): Mark JohnstonLocation(s): Industrial Design Building, Room 502Enrolled / Capacity: 15Status: Closed
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This class will cover basic camera optics and lighting techniques necessary to generate high quality digital images for either print or digital portfolio applications. The focus of the class is to master manual controls on the digital camera such as film and shutter speed settings in conjunction with aperture openings to obtain whatever the desired effect might be to best represent two and three-dimensional objects. Manipulation of natural and artificial lighting is the other main focus of the class. Students will learn the use of fill and bounce cards with sun, tungsten and strobe light sources. The emphasis will be on the strobe lighting studio where through a series of assignments students will learn direct, diffused reflected lighting techniques. Students will be required to participate in the final critique during the final week of the semester.
Elective
ID 2511-02 - WKSHP: PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
Period Fall 2024
Credits 1
FormatWorkshop
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
ID 2511-02
WKSHP: PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
PeriodFall 2024
Credits1
FormatWorkshop
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2024-10-04 to 2024-10-25
Times: F | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PMInstructor(s): Mark JohnstonLocation(s): Industrial Design Building, Room 502Enrolled / Capacity: 15Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This class will cover basic camera optics and lighting techniques necessary to generate high quality digital images for either print or digital portfolio applications. The focus of the class is to master manual controls on the digital camera such as film and shutter speed settings in conjunction with aperture openings to obtain whatever the desired effect might be to best represent two and three-dimensional objects. Manipulation of natural and artificial lighting is the other main focus of the class. Students will learn the use of fill and bounce cards with sun, tungsten and strobe light sources. The emphasis will be on the strobe lighting studio where through a series of assignments students will learn direct, diffused reflected lighting techniques. Students will be required to participate in the final critique during the final week of the semester.
Elective
ID 2511-03 - WKSHP: PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
Period Fall 2024
Credits 1
FormatWorkshop
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
ID 2511-03
WKSHP: PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY
LevelUndergraduate
UnitIndustrial Design
Subject Industrial Design
PeriodFall 2024
Credits1
FormatWorkshop
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2024-11-01 to 2024-11-22
Times: F | 1:10 PM - 6:10 PMInstructor(s): Mark JohnstonLocation(s): Industrial Design Building, Room 502Enrolled / Capacity: 15Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This class will cover basic camera optics and lighting techniques necessary to generate high quality digital images for either print or digital portfolio applications. The focus of the class is to master manual controls on the digital camera such as film and shutter speed settings in conjunction with aperture openings to obtain whatever the desired effect might be to best represent two and three-dimensional objects. Manipulation of natural and artificial lighting is the other main focus of the class. Students will learn the use of fill and bounce cards with sun, tungsten and strobe light sources. The emphasis will be on the strobe lighting studio where through a series of assignments students will learn direct, diffused reflected lighting techniques. Students will be required to participate in the final critique during the final week of the semester.
